5 gentle pregnancy exercises to ease postpartum aches and pains

After giving birth, you’ll be doing all sorts of new things with your body—picking your baby up in awkward ways, wearing them in a baby carrier, lugging a car seat, and looking down at them for hours as you feed them. These new, repetitive movements can cause a variety of aches and pains, especially since you’re still recovering from pregnancy and delivery.

You can get ahead of the discomfort and make your postpartum experience a little easier by working on mobility and strengthening exercises now. Here are five gentle, top-to-bottom exercises to do throughout your pregnancy and postpartum.

Note: Unusual or extreme pains merit the attention of a healthcare provider. If you experience any new pain or existing pain gets worse with these movements, stop and consult with a doctor or physical therapist.

Neck and upper back stretch

May be helpful for: reducing neck and upper back pain, pain that travels down the arms, carpal tunnel syndrome

• Use a chair that reaches about mid-back for support.
• Sit with your hips and back touching the back of the chair.
• Support your head and upper body with your hands.
• Gently lean back over the chair until you feel a stretch in your lower neck and upper back.
• Hold this position for 2 to 3 seconds, then sit back up. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

Wrist and thumb stretch

May be helpful for: reducing wrist and thumb pain that are common during pregnancy and postpartum 

• Extend your arm with the palm of your hand facing up.
• Bend your wrist so your fingers point toward the floor.
• Use your opposite hand to gently bend your wrist back toward your body, until you feel a stretch in your forearm and/or the front of your wrist.
• Hold for 30 seconds, then release. 
• Now, extend the same arm and flip your palm so that it faces down. Again, use your opposite hand to gently assist with a deeper stretch.
• Do both stretches three times, then repeat with the opposite arm.

Consult with a doctor or physical therapist if you suspect carpal tunnel syndrome, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, or any other underlying condition besides general aches and pains associated with pregnancy. 

Core strengthener

May be helpful for: reducing back, hip and lower body pain; improving strength and endurance for daily activities; minimizing abdominal separation (diastasis recti)

• Kneel on all fours with your shoulders above your wrists and your hips over your knees. 
• Take a few breaths and notice what happens with your belly muscles.
• As you exhale your next breath, gently pull in your abdominal muscles as if hugging your baby toward you to engage your deeper core muscles.
• Inhale to allow your muscles to relax; don’t hold your breath.
• Repeat for 10 to 15 repetitions at a pace that feels natural to you.

Hip strengthener

May be helpful for: decreasing back and hip pain, improving strength and endurance for daily activities

• Lie on your side and stack your hips and knees on top of each other, bent at about 45 degrees.
• Keeping your feet together, lift up your top knee a few inches.
• Keep your back and pelvis still and don’t let your hips roll backward.
• Hold your knee lifted for about 5 seconds and then lower.
• Repeat this movement 10 times. 
• Switch sides and repeat with your opposite leg. 
• Do 2 sets total on each side.

Calf stretch

May be helpful for: reducing back and leg pain, an easier time going up/down stairs, decreasing calf cramping

• Stand with one foot in front of you, the other foot behind. 
• Bend your front knee into a slight lunge while keeping your back knee straight.  
• Keep the heel of your back leg on the floor and your toes facing forward. This is where you should feel the stretch.
• Hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat. Do the stretch twice on each side.